Pliers



NURTWED.

PLIERS. APPLICATION FILED ,AUG.20, I919- Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

T aZlrw/mm it may concern:

barren fsrarnsl BENNIE NORTWED. OF KELLER-TON. IOW'A.

PLIERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1921.

- 1 Application filed August 20, 1919. Serial No. 318,?04;

Be it known that I, BENNIE NORTWED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kellerton, in the count of Ringgold and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pliers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to pliers, wrenches and kindred tools embodying companion jaws which are relatively movable for gripping work required to be held in a firm and secure manner. f

The invention provides atool of the character aforementioned which embodies a movable jaw that can be set and which may be operated in the set or adjusted position and which embodies handle members which are also capable of relative adjustment, so that in any adjusted position of the jaws, the handle members may occupy a given position and thereby admit of the tool being readily and positively manipulated by one hand. I

The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is to be understood that in adapting the same to meet different conditions various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side View of a tool of the pliers type embodying the invention, a por tion being broken away.

Fig. 2 is an edge view.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail through a portion of the head, the movable handle memher and the gear wheel 1 operating the movable jaw.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

The tool comprises a head 1 from which a jaw 2 and handle member 3 extend in opposite directions and which preferably form a part thereof. The jaw 2 and handle member 3 are disposed at diagonally opposite corners of the head. A movable jaw 4 is provided with a laterally extending shank 5 which is disposed to operate in an opening formed in the head 1. The lower face of the shank 5 is toothed and in mesh with the teeth of a gear wheel 6 which is mounted in an opening in the head 1 about in line with the fixed aw 2. The gear wheel 6 is mount ed upon a pin 7 which extends'through parts of the head 1 at the sides of the gear wheel. Rotation of the gear wheel 6 effects jaw i, as

head i and receives end portions of the pin T, the latter serving as means to pivotally connect the handle member with the head. A. latch S) is carried by the handle member 8 and is adapted to cooperate with the gear wheel 6 so as to effect rotation thereof when the handle member 8 is operated. For convenience, the latch 9 is disposed transversely of the forked end of the handle member 8 and is pivoted at one end to one of the fork elements, as indicated at 10, the opposite end extending through a slot 11 formed in the opposite fork element. A spring 12 seated in the handle member exerts a pressure on the latch 9 to hold it in engagement with certain teeth of the gear wheel 6. When the latch .9 is in engagement with the gear wheel 6, movement of the handle member 8 effects a corresponding movement of the gearwheel and movable jaw, the latter being moved away fromthe fixed jaw when the handle member 8 is swung outward as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig, 1 and pressed inward toward the fixed jaw when the handle member 8 is drawn toward the handle member 3 as when closing the hand to draw the two handle members 3 and 8 together.

The invention results in the provision of a tool of the character disclosed, embodying a movable jaw and an operating handle member therefor, the movable jaw and the operating' handle member being relatively adjustable so that the distance between the two jaws, 2 and 4, may be adjusted without changing or varying the distance between the handle members 3 and 8. This enables the tool to be adjusted to work of any size without varying the normal distance between the handle members, with the result that both handle members may be gripped by one hand and drawn together so as to firmly grip the work between the jaws when the tool is in active operation. Assuming that the handle members 3 and 8 are in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 1,

the movable jaw 4: may be adjusted to any distance from the fixed jaw by disengaging the latch 9 from the gear wheel 6 and then moving the jaw 4 to the required position, either by turning the gear wheel or by applying pressure against the end of the shank 5 or the outer face of the jaw at. After the movable jaw has been set to the adjusted position, it is fixed relatively to the operating handle member 8 by permitting the latch 9 to engage with the teeth of the gear wheel 6. Operation of the handle member 8 will open or close the j aws, in a manner well un derstood.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A tool of the character specified, comprising a head having relatively fixed and movable jaws adjustably associated therewith, a rotatable member mounted in the head to co-act with the movable jaw to ad just the same, an operating handle having a forked end pivoted to the head and embracing the same on opposite sides of the rotatable member, a latch member disposed transversely of the fork of the handle, with one end pivoted to one elementof the fork and the other end projecting through a slot in the opposite element of the fork to provide a finger hold for releasing purposes, and a yieldable tensioning member seated in the fork and pressing outwardly against an intermediate portion of the latch member to hold the latter in engagement with the rotatable member to lock the handle during movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENNIE NORTWED.

Witnesses C. H. Lu'rz, M. D. WELSH. 

